It's a Farm Out There

Gusi got a great book from his grandparents for his birthday, one that he loves to read. It's a bilingual version of Old MacDonald in a nice foamy, cloth complete with movable farmer and animals. He's starting to learn the farm animals in both Spanish and English and he is really into the sounds that go along with each animal, provided by whomever is reading to him at the moment.

For a while now he has opted to bark like a dog when he sees or hears one instead of signing it. I don't mind, I know that when he barks there's a dog somewhere around. He got some great bilingual flash cards from a playmate for his birthday and when he sees the card for el perro he barks. When he sees the card for el pájaro he signs *bird*. He's communicating and I understand him, so however it happens I'm happy.

I thought I'd have to learn some more signs for barn yard animals when he started getting into his Old MacDonald book. Not quite. My mom, ever so clever, is teaching him how to crow like a rooster--in English. In Spanish roosters say qui-qui-ri-qui, but Gusi is learning cock-a-doodle-do. He loves it. Today in the car both mom and Gusi were crowing and I couldn't help but laugh--they were both so into it.

And another strange thing is occurring, Gusi has started calling me like a lamb would call a sheep. I've gone from being Mama to Baaah. Perhaps the farm theme creeping a bit more into every day life than I had expected, but I'm going with it. He likes the petting zoo at the zoo quite a bit, but I might skip it next time we go.

Gusi is processing the neigh of the horse--he's not too sure what to do with it yet and I haven't learned the sign for horse so I'm going with the sound for now. The quack and oink are not really big hits, but he does know that ducks are birds since he makes the sign for bird when he sees them at the zoo.

Maybe with Easter coming up we'll have the chance to silently hop like a bunny while wiggling our noses.